ZebraWords.com - The Definition of 'Detain', Synonyms of 'Detain' & More on 'Detain'

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)

detain
    v 1: deprive of freedom; take into confinement [syn: confine,
         detain] [ant: free, liberate, loose, release,
         unloose, unloosen]
    2: stop or halt; "Please stay the bloodshed!" [syn: stay,
       detain, delay]
    3: cause to be slowed down or delayed; "Traffic was delayed by
       the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want
       to perform" [syn: delay, detain, hold up] [ant:
       hurry, rush]

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Detain \De*tain"\, n.
   Detention. [Obs.] --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]

3. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Detain \De*tain"\ (d[-e]*t[=a]n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Detained; p. pr. & vb. n. Detaining.] [F. d['e]tenir, L.
   detinere, detentum; de + tenere to hold. See Tenable.]
   1. To keep back or from; to withhold.
      [1913 Webster]

            Detain not the wages of the hireling. --Jer. Taylor.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay;
      as, we were detained by an accident.
      [1913 Webster]

            Let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a
            kid for thee.                         --Judges xiii.
                                                  15.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To hold or keep in custody.

   Syn: To withhold; retain; stop; stay; arrest; check; retard;
        delay; hinder.
        [1913 Webster]

Thesaurus Results for Detain:

1. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

apprehend, arrest, backpedal, backwater, block, bog down, bottle up, box up, brake, bust, buttonhole, cage, check, clip the wings, cloister, confine, constrain, coop, coop in, coop up, cork up, countercheck, crib, curb, dam up, damp, dampen, decelerate, delay, drag, draw rein, ease off, ease up, encage, enclose, fence in, hang up, hem in, hinder, hold, hold back, hold in check, hold in custody, hold in restraint, hold up, immure, impede, impound, inhibit, intercept, interfere, intermeddle, interrupt, intervene, keep, keep back, keep in, keep in check, keep in custody, keep in detention, keep out, lag, let down, let up, lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, make late, meddle, mew, mew up, mire, moderate, nab, obstruct, oppose, pen, pen up, pick up, pinch, pound, pull in, rail in, reef, rein in, relax, repress, reserve, resist, restrain, restrict, retain, retard, run in, scotch, seal up, set back, shackle, shut in, shut up, slack off, slack up, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up, snub, stay, stop, suppress, take in sail, throttle down, wall in, withhold

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